KERRVILLE, Texas – As 2016 is ushered in by the stroke of midnight, the familiar opening lines of "Auld Lang Syne" ask if old acquaintances should be forgotten and never brought to mind. Old acquaintances aside, the second half of an 80-60 New Year's Eve loss at Schreiner University is probably something McMurry University's men's basketball team will gladly let slip from its memory.
 
After leading the host Mountaineers at the half – 34-29 – the War Hawks (1-11) were outscored 19-6 in the first seven minutes of the second stanza, as Schreiner opened up a 48-40 lead. The Mountaineers would extend that to 52-43 with 10:24 left to play.
 
McM climbed to within four points with 5:45 remaining after a pair of free throws by LaRandall Scroggins made it 58-54. But the Mountaineers would out-score the War Hawks 22-6 in the waning minutes to secure the win.
 
Junior guard Nate Estrada led McMurry's scoring with 15 points, hitting 5-of-10 from the field. Estrada was also 3-of-7 from beyond the arc and was 2-of-3 from the free throw line.
 
Scroggins was McM's only other double-digit scorer with 13 points. Scroggins was just 4-of-13 from the floor, but made good on 5-of-6 free throw attempts.
 
McMurry's diminutive freshman point guard Calvin McGee led his team with six rebounds. McGee also chipped in nine points. Aaron Gettys also had nine points and four rebounds in the setback.
 
The War Hawks will look to right the ship on January 4, when they travel to Belhaven University for a 5 p.m. start.